Thill-coupling



(No Model.)

J. BOZORTH.

Thill Coupling.

No. 238,561. Patented March 8,1881.

UNrrnn STATES PATENT Qrnron.

JOHN BOZORTH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

THlLL-COUPLING.

SPECIFIGATION formng' part of Letters Patent No. 238,561, dated March 8,1881.

Application filed October 19, 1880.

To all whom it may concer'n Be it known that I, JOHN BozoRTH, ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulThill-Ooupling for Carriages, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to prevent the thill or shaft from rattling and it consists in securing to the end of the shaft a stub end, onwhich is fitted a strap or forl, which holds the draft-bolt in closemetallic contact with its bearin g by means of a rubber springcompressed by an eccentric tightener.

In the drawings making part of this specification, Figure l is a sideelevation of the shaft, coupling, and axle. Fig. 2 is a section throughthe same. Fig. 3 is a front view. Fig. 4 is a front view of the partsdetached. Fig. 5 is a. plan of the axle and fork. Fig. 6 is a side viewof the tightening-key. Fig. 7 is a section through the stub, showing thestem of the eccentric in its place.

A is the axlc carrying the fork B, vfastened to it by bolts in theusual'manner.

O is the bolt to which the shaft is hinged.

D is the thill or shaft, which is nearly horizontal when upon the horse,except that part of it nearest the carriage, which is bent almost to aquarter turn. To the under side of this bend a stub, E, is secured bybolts. Astrap, h, is fitted upon this stub, inclosing a brass, 82, thestub end and the brass each being bored to fit one-half of the pin O.There is inserted between the strap and the loose brass a piece ofelastic gum or india-rubber, k, to act as a spring against the brass.Both ends of the strap are bored with holes m for the insertion of theeccentrie. These holes have at one side a keyway suitable for theinsertion of the steln p' of the eccentric L. This key is made with ahandle, P, a cylindrieal stem, 19', of the same diameter as the hole m,and projections 192 193 upon the stem. The end of the stub E is drilledthrough at n with a hole correspondin g in diameter to that of the lowerhole, m, plus the keyway, so that the stem turns with an eccentricmotion within the hole m.

To conple the shafts to the carriage, place the stub E upon the pin O,which always re (No model.)

mains in its place in the fork. Then bring up to it from the under sidethe strap h, having within it the lower brass and spring k. Next put thestem p' of the eccentric through the holes m and n and turn it half-wayround. This will cause the stcm to move with an eccentric motion,raising the strap, compressing the spring lc, and bringing the stub,strap, brasses, and rubber all into close and secure contact. Thecheck-strap R, passing through the eccentric and through an eye upon thethill, holds the handle of the eccentric in its Vertical position. Inthis position the projection 192 is not opposite the keyway in the straph, and the eccentric is thus prevented from falling out.

By this invention I avoid the usnal plan of forcing the bolt G throughan elastic `joint, which is a difficult operation.

In my invention the stub end is coupled around the pin while in itsplace. I also have the brass bearing 82 in contact With the pin O, andkeep them in contact by a rubber spring behind the brass, and avoid thewear which occurs when the rubber is in contact with the pin, asheretofore made.

I do not confine myself exclusivel y to the eccentric herein shown fortightening up the strap, as the ordinary connecting-rod taper key willanswer without a spring. The strap may also be made solid with the stuband forked, the 'pressure in this case being put upon the rubber by ascrew and a cross bar below. Either of these modifications willaccomplish in an inferior manner my object of tightening up a metalbearing against the pin O with a spring behind the brass.

I claim- In a thill-coupling, the combination of the shaft D, the stubend E, secured to the shaft, and the strap h, carried by the shaft andholding the bolt O in metallic contact with its bearing by means of theeccentric L, as herein described.

JOHN BOZORTH.

Witnesses:

EDWD. BROWN, JOHN F. GRANT.

